The Tennessee Titans head to the Lone Star state on Sunday to face division rival Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. The Texans sit atop the AFC South division with ease and will likely have no issue making the playoffs. The Titans are third in the AFC South but have a division-heavy schedule to end the season which could change things a bit.
The Titans, while it’s been slow, are making progress and beginning to look better each week. There have been a lot of challenges and obstacles to overcome, but even in last week’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the Titans looked better than they have all season.
This week, the Titans’ stout defense faces a dynamic Houston offense that is capable of making big plays. But the Houston defense isn’t as tough as some the Titans’ have faced recently, which provides an opportunity for Will Levis & Co. to move the ball down the field.
Let’s take a quick peek at the fantasy options these two teams provide in Week 12.
Despite missing time with an ankle injury, Joe Mixon has been lighting up the fantasy scoreboard. Last week against the Dallas Cowboys, he rushed for over 100 yards and three touchdowns, plus added two receptions for 44 more yards. He has exceeded 100 rushing yards in six of eight games with the Texans and has a total of 11 touchdowns this season. He is the eighth ranked running back in the league, despite missing time.
Against the Titans in Week 12, he is poised for another strong game. The Titans’ have allowed 13 scrimmage touchdowns to running backs, tied for fourth-most in the NFL. He’s not only going to get his ground yards this week, but he will find the end zone.
Tony Pollard is the Titans’ number one back. That’s not a secret and it’s not going to change anytime soon. Tyjae Spears has been a nice compliment to Pollard on the field, gaining solid yards when needed. But after the Titans’ loss to the Vikings on Sunday, Spears entered the NFL’s five-step concussion protocol. He remains questionable against the Texans, and in games when he hasn’t played, Pollard averages 24 touches per game. It’s still a tough matchup behind a flimsy offensive line, but Pollard will get his touches this week and could find the end zone at some point.
Prior to landing on injured reserve for five weeks with a hamstring injury, Nico Collins was taking the league by storm and sitting at the top of the receiver rankings. Since then, the rankings have changed without him on the field, but his return against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday definitely gave the team a boost. He was a bit rusty, which is expected, and the Titans’ secondary might prove to be a difficult matchup, but by the end of the game when the Titans’ defenders are fatigued, look for him to make his mark.
After DeAndre Hopkins was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, Calvin Ridley became the undisputed WR1. Over the last four games, he has 358 receiving yards and two touchdowns and would have had a third had it not been called back for a penalty last week. The Texans’ secondary allows the most touchdowns to wide receivers and gives up over 150 receiving yards per game to wideouts.
Will Levis looks much improved since his return as well, racking up 295 passing yards in Week 11, which bodes well for Ridley going forward. If Levis and Ridley can consistently be on the same page, it could prove to be a solid combination.
Let’s be real; the Titans’ offense is inconsistent at best. Yes, Will Levis played well last week, but on the road against a division rival? It’s going to be a tough test. The Texans’ defense is projected to have the second-most fantasy points in Week 12 behind the Denver Broncos, who are playing Las Vegas. Will Levis is likely to turn the ball over; he has only one game this season where he hasn’t thrown an interception. Plus, the Titans are still trying to find their footing during this rebuild, especially at the right tackle position. If the Texans attack from that side, they’ll have no trouble disrupting the Titans’ offense and having a nice fantasy outing this week.